Snow conditions in the mountains 6.11.2023

General avalanche danger level - Monday, 6 November 2023
The danger is level 1 on the European five-level scale - LOW.
Main problem: wind-blown snow, new snow
Danger pattern: Cooling after warm weather / warming after cold

Risk assessment
Avalanche danger is LOW, level 1. Only steep slopes in higher elevations of the high mountains are dangerous, where there is wind-blown snow. In places the surface is also icy, so caution is needed due to the risk of slipping.

Snow conditions
A few days ago it snowed in the mountains. The snow line dropped below 1500 m a.s.l. In the high mountains more than 30 cm of snow fell, in the mid-mountains up to about 15 cm. During snowfall a strong southwesterly wind blew, which blew the new snow considerably into wind slabs. Lower down the snow has already settled and melted, in places completely disappeared. In the high mountains, above about 2000 m, the snow cover is consolidated, lower down there are mostly only snow patches. Snow in the high mountains is dry and soft in the shade, crusty in places due to wind. Lower down and on sunny slopes the snow is crusty and frozen. Due to melting and night-time freezing it is icy in places.

Forecast weather development
Until the night to Friday mostly dry weather. Freezing level at elevations between 1900 and 2200 m a.s.l., on Thursday temporarily higher. Partly sunny, more clouds in the hills of northern Primorska and Notranjska and in the western and southern parts of the Julians and in the foothills. Elsewhere peaks will occasionally be in clouds. Moderate, occasionally strong southwesterly wind will blow. In the night to Friday precipitation will start to appear in the west, which is expected to temporarily spread over most of Slovenia by morning. The snow line will drop below 1500 m a.s.l. again.

Trend in snow conditions
Snow conditions in the mountains will not change much. In the high mountains the snow will persist, on sunny slopes it will become wet during the day and freeze at night. On Thursday, with temporary warming, it will settle even more. In the mid-mountains the snow remnants will disappear. In the high mountains caution is needed due to the risk of slipping, at places with wind-blown snow care is needed as wind-blown snow can slide under your feet. On Friday snow conditions will deteriorate slightly.

Next issue: Thursday, 9 November 2023

Source: ARSO